Selection, Collection, and Submission of Samples

Virology Submission Guidelines

To ensure accurate diagnosis of viral disease, it is imperative to collect the correct specimen. The specimen should reflect the system(s) involved in clinical disease and should be collected during the acute phase of infection when viral concentration is at its maximum. Refer to the following information when selecting appropriate specimens for testing.

Instructions for Specimen Collection by type

All specimens should be collected immediately upon onset of clinical symptoms or death of the animal.

Vesicle or lesion swab: Open lesion carefully using a sterile instrument. Moisten a sterile swab with sterile saline or other transport media and collect cells from open lesion. Place swab in 1-2 ml of sterile saline or viral transport media.

Ocular swab: Collect from lower conjunctiva using a swab moistened with sterile saline. Place swab in 1-2 ml of sterile saline or viral transport media.

Corneal or conjunctiva scraping: Place scraping in 1-2 ml of sterile saline or viral transport media.